Fat is our friend. really! Copy
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Hummus & other nibbles

There's low-carb and very low carb:
​
... depending on your preferences and at what stage you are on your LCHF pathway, you can choose wisely from these tasty alternatives.
PictureIn the Middle East, usually more Tahini paste is added. Try adding a puree of cooked red pepper for colour and taste.
Hummus
        The basic combination is pureed chick pea, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice, but most recipes include a small proportion of pureed sesame seeds - known as tahini.
Flavour and colour your own hummus by adding a little red pepper or red chile pepper to taste.
The basics:
  • 1 can of chick peas
  • 1 tablespoon of tahini
  • 2 teaspoons of fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 clove of garlic (with the central light greenish core removed for easier   digestion)
  • Water or drained juices from the chick pea tin to get the right   consistency for you
        This averages around 15 carbs per 100 grams so eat in moderation.

PictureMixed... smells wonderfully fresh!
Tabbouleh
        Grated cauliflower makes a surprisingly good ersatz for the bulgur wheat or couscous which is normally used to make this the perfect low-carb side dish (I also like it as a dry dip).
       Fresh herbs mixed with extra virgin olive oil provide the strongest taste components but the cucumber, onion, red pepper and cauliflower provide crunch! All ingredients need fine chopping so it's a test of your knife skills but don't try this in a machine or you'll get a 'liquidy' puree.
        The basics:
  • 250 gm of grated cauliflower rice, lightly toasted with a drop of olive oil in a pan (4 minutes low heat)
  • 150 gm mixed and finely chopped fresh mint and parsley
  • 200 gm chopped tomatoes with the seeds removed
  • 100 gm finely chopped onion
  • 100 gm finely chopped red pepper
  • 200 gm finely chopped cucumber
  • 50 gm fresh lemon juice and 50 gm extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt (just before serving or it draws out the moisture)
  • Pepper to taste

Something crisp to dip with?

Crispy cracker recipe... another variation
        When it comes to dips, you need a cracker that’s firm enough to scoop up a little hummus, taramasalata or whatever your preference is. For this recipe, you just need a small coffee grinder to prepare 50gm batches of the seeds, before mixing and rolling as indicated:

  • Lightly grind the first four ingredients together till you have a good mix of powder and husks/chaff
  • Add almond flour egg, oil and water till you have a solid mass that forms a ball for rolling
  • Roll out between two pieces of grease-proof oven paper/Kraft paper
  • When rolled as thin as you can comfortably achieve, draw light lines with a pizza slice to form rough rectangles
  • Place the thin layer, complete on its paper base into the oven and cook for 10 minutes. Turn and cook for a further 10 minutes to achieve an even texture
  • Then; take out and wait to cool or… if you prefer a crispier cracker, leave for ½ an hour in the oven while it  cools
  • Divide along the marked lines and keep in a dry place, ideally an air-tight container.
        This makes around 40 crackers (size: 5cm by 7cm oblongs) and totals about 16 grams of net carbohydrates. 
        So eating 5 of these tasty crackers will represent about 2 carbs: so just a little reminder that potato crisps contain 4 to 5 times as many and most are fried in sunflower oil which is on our list of fats to be avoided wherever possible.
Picture
All the healthy chopped ingredients before mixing

Picture
Vegetable dips
        Fresh crunchy vegetables are the best for all-purpose dipping. 
        If you want, just give a short boil to florets of broccoli or cauliflower before plunging them into cold water - this adds colour and improves digestability.


Ingredients (using mostly ground seeds)
 - 50 gm sunflower seeds
 - 50 gm flax seeds
 - 25 gm hemp seeds
 - 25 gm sesame seeds (leave these whole)

 - 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat oven to 180 C
 - 50 gm almond flour (or grind almonds, being careful not to grind for too long)
 - 2 to 3 tablespoons of water
​ - teaspoon dried rosemary

 - 1 egg
 - Salt and pepper
Sammy Pepys was the pseudonym used by James Capon when writing this book. He is not a doctor or a nutritionist. He is concerned and increasingly suspicious of today's conventional wisdom when it comes to diet, health and the lack of progress on tackling growing rates of type-2 diabetes, obesity and related diseases.
Since then, he has advised numerous people about the benefits of low-carb diets and seen their health and energy levels rise. Weight loss is associated with this eating approach (he lost 7 kilos) but feeling good and having more energy is the main driver!
Disclaimer: The information, recipes and results mentioned on this site may not work for everyone. They do not represent medical advice and it is best to discuss any significant dietary changes with your Doctor.
  • Why fat is our friend
    • LCHF - A beginners' guide >
      • Which fats to use? >
        • More on low-fat & sat fat
        • Demon Fat
        • Fatty Facts: Omega 3 & 6
        • Eat fat, don't get fat!
        • How fat became the enemy
        • Fats, oils & LCHF
      • Diabesity & Food to avoid >
        • Resolving the Junk Food Dilemma
        • More on Diabesity
      • Red and processed meats?
      • Exercise to slim?
      • Milk. Low fat or regular?
      • Going low-carb step-by-step
      • LCHF. Who started it?
    • Overweight? Take a low-carb step
    • Wheat ain't what it used to be
    • What is a diet?
    • We are the experiment
    • Calories in equal calories out?
  • Junk Food
  • The book
    • About >
      • Recommended reading
      • Contact
  • LCHF Recipe Index
    • Breads and crackers >
      • Gluten free crispbreads
      • Einkorn Bread
      • Savoury Cheese muffins
    • Basic ingredients >
      • Chicken Stock
      • Wheat substitutes
      • Roux, Bechamel and Souffle
      • Yogurt and cream cheese
      • Make your own Ghee
      • Mayonnaise
    • From Muesli to Granola >
      • Benchmarking commercial brands
      • New York Cheesecake
    • Frying fish
    • Meat ragout >
      • Cottage Pie >
        • Comparisons
      • Chili con Carne
      • Moussaka
      • Meatballs
    • Boeuf Bourgignon
    • Italian Chicken Wrap
    • Country Pate
    • Omelettes
    • Quiche
    • Sides and dips >
      • Bacon, Water Chestnut Crisp
    • Salads >
      • Simply Salad in a Jar
      • Chopped Chicken Salad (spicy)
      • Thai inspired beef salad
      • Salade Nicoise
    • Veggies made interesting >
      • Cauliflower Rice
      • Cauliflower Mash
      • Indian style aubergine mash
      • Zucchini noodles
      • Suspiciously delicious cabbage
      • Tastier Tomatoes
    • Pizza base
    • Desserts >
      • Chia Seed Dessert
      • New York Cheesecake
  • Blog